Opportunities and difficulties for evaluation in virtual learning environments

Abstract

Virtual Learning Environments (VLE) open up new possibilities in education and offer teachers the possibility of using multiple resources to adapt the assessment in their classrooms. The question is how to make proper use of these resources, taking into account the new roles created between teachers and students in these environments to guarantee a fair and quality evaluation system. For this reason, this study focuses on analyzing the opportunities and difficulties that exist in these environments to carry out this type of evaluation. Among its findings, it should be noted that VLE facilitate the realization of «learning analytics», which provide a multitude of data and information from which the individual profile of the student can be identified and predicted, allowing to adapt and improve the quality of their learning experience. However, the problem with "learning analytics" is to determine which data, of all that offered by the system, is really relevant to be examined in greater detail and how it can be used to contribute to a real improvement of learning. Added to these problems is the fact that studying at a distance can lead to certain difficulties, such as the lack of a sense of belonging and commitment, the demotivation of students and the enormous heterogeneity in the profile of the student body, both in terms of knowledge and experience and even age. In addition, the VLE present some obstacles related to communication between teachers and students, the quality of the information offered and the methodological and organizational design that is carried out in them. Also, teachers tend to have a certain predisposition to evaluate objective results instead of paying attention to the process of building knowledge and acquiring skills